In the last few entries I have been talking about mental health and the workplace. Today, I want to give you an example of how what appears to be a small incident can lead to a continuous cycle of mental and emotional wounds. To me, recognizing small incidents is important, because they can add up to a bigger issue with mental health and the workplace.
The incident in question involved an employee being criticized for some work travel expenses. Nothing wrong or inappropriate was done by the employee, but the employee’s management suspected the employee was not working during the trip. Unfortunately, it seemed as though management could not move on from this incident, and within a few months the employee went to another team. Now, it is several years later, and every time an opportunity to travel is presented, the employee is still denied the opportunity to travel, even when an event is in town and would save money for the company if the employee went instead of someone else. The employee, who keeps pointing out the cost savings potential, has been told that he or she needs to move on from this incident. Of course we don’t have all of the details of this story, but I find it amazing that management would ask the employee to “move on” when the history of the incident is in his or her face repeatedly! This is incredibly inconsistent. This also creates some real trust issues for the employee, because how can the employee trust anyone if it feels like no one trusts him or her? How motivating or enjoyable can that environment be? Are there no chances to learn or grow? And again, this is a small example of how the workplace can create mental and emotional stress or issues for employees.
To me this example demonstrates that we all need to do better, and it especially highlights to me the importance of being as consistent as possible. Don’t tell someone to “move on” when no else seems to be. Match your words with your actions and show some accountability and integrity. Even these simple things would likely make for improved mental health in the workplace.